Forest Services Sets Meetings on Proposed BWCA Land Swap

ST. PAUL (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service has scheduled a series of open houses on a proposal to swap 30,000 acres of state-owned land within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area for about 39,000 acres of federal land elsewhere in the Superior National Forest.

The Forest Service says the exchange would benefit both sides because it would allow the state to acquire federal land that it could manage to generate revenue for Minnesota's public schools.

But environmental groups oppose the deal. Aaron Klemz of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness says it would shrink the Superior National Forest by 47 square miles.

Public meetings on the plan are set for March 9 in Grand Marais, March 10 in Aurora, March 12 in Duluth, March 23 in Ely and March 26 in St. Paul.

Superior National Forest School Trust Land Exchange Page: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project45943

Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness: http://www.friends-bwca.org